Rouffach

Rouffach. Nestled at the foot of the vineyards, this is a delightful town that is known in the region for its Festival of Witches, held the evening of the third Saturday of July, in recognition of the sorcerers held captive in the tower so many centuries ago. Rouffach also has a wonderful park dedicated to the preservation of storks. As recently as the 1950s there were just seven breeding pairs, and as a direct result of efforts such as the protective park in Rouffach, there are now more than 250 pairs that are known to migrate from France to the African shores. Babies born here are kept in protective custody for three years until they are strong enough to sustain the long, arduous journey. Surprisingly, altering their natural cycle in youth does not seem to influence or negate their natural instinct to migrate when released after maturity.